Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-12-09
An OLD HUNTERS STORY

When went to Iowa Territory,
in 1918, made my home with an
old acquaintance by the name of
Green, who went from Western
Pennsylvania, where he had led a
pretty eventful life, his house hav-
ing been burned twice over his head
by Indians, during the early settle
ment of that state. He had lost
two of his children by the same
means, so that he had cause enough
to emigrate.
lie settled on Manson's River, or
rather Greek, which flowed just by
his door, and which a mile or two
below descended fully hundred
feet by a series of rapids which
were sure death for any man to at
tempt to shoot who was not per-
feet master in guiding q canoe
Green could never summon courage
TO attempt it in his birch canoe IN
I'll he had seen me do it; but he
gained courage after awhile, and
learned to do it with an ease aud
confidence equal to my own. When
we engaged in fishing we frequent
IL performed the feat, until 1t be-
came a matter of amusement with
both Of us.
Green had a wife, and one child
OF about six years, who was as in
terestlng a little girl as l eyer saw.
I was as much attached to her, as l
never had family of my own, and
she appeared to regard me with an
affection second only to that which
she entertained for her parents.
Shortly after took up my quar-
tiers with them, in the autumn OF
1878, | was seized with the chills
aud fever, and did not entirely re-
cover until spring. ! was nursed
and treated so we'll by the entire
family, that when | became we'll
again, agreed to remain through
the season, and to assist him IN
clearing his land, and getting his
scanty seed under ground.
Al that time there we're Indians
all around US, and some of them
were Of the very worst kind. They
hated a white man like poison, and
| was sure we should have trouble
with them. Ii was that, more than
anything else, that made me anx-
ious to remain with them until the
country became more settled.
The season was pretty we'll ad'
vanced, when a man called at our
house one day, and told us that a
party of Indians had attacked the
settlers farther up the creek, and
after massacreing several families,
were descending the creek in a
large canoe, for the purpose OF sery-
ing us in The same manner.
This was alarming news indeed,
and we decided to change our quar-
ters at once, while there was pros.
pect of escape. Green proposed
that we should start through the
woods for the settlement; but as
that was twenty miles distant, and
knew they would follow our trail
with the speed and certainty of the
bloodhound, he took my advice,
which was TO embark in the canoe,
leaving everything behind US. By
this means we could effectually Gov
er our trail; and as the shores were
both lined with a luxuriant, over
hanging underground, we could
glide under cover, and remain con-
cealed until the danger had passed.
This was a good plan, and would
have succeeded admirably had 1t
been adopted an hour sooner. The
hanter who had given us the intel
ligence started at once down the
stream, in the hope that he might
be able to warn some of the other
settlers in time. The light canoe
comfortably seated us four, includ.
ing the little girl, and within fifteen
minutes after the alarm reached Us,
we showed out from the bank, Green
took the paddle and we started on
our perilous descent of the crees,
which, however, was large enough
to deserve the name OF river.
We had scarcely showed out from
the shore when a whoop reached
our ears, and looking back, we saw
to our dismay that the Indian ca
noe was in sight. The redskins
had discovered us and naturally
enough, determined that we should
not elude them in this easy manner.
glanced at the miscreants, as they
came dashing down the stream, al
most with the speed Of the wind,
and saw that the canoe was occ1-
pied by FIVE of them.
Now, Green I" said |, "use the
paddle, Tor all depends on that"
Ineyer saw him use the oar with
such skill. He had seen enough oil
Indians to understand that it was
now a case of lite and death, and
with his wife and only child de-
pending upon his exertions, it need
not be said that every particle OF
strength aud skill that he possess
ed we're needed and put into use.
Every moment or two the Indians
uttered one of their frightful yells
so friebtfnl indeed that the little